25 May 2011 and 28 May 2011: Meeting Boyfriend’s friends

In the interest of saving your eyes and time, I have decided to double decker this edition of days. For you see, it was the same. Of course it was different, otherwise I would not write about it, but it was the same.

Since The Boy/Friend has become a full fledged Boyfriend, I have had to up my game. This naturally includes meeting the other players, such as Boyfriend’s friends. Of course, it is only with delight that I embark on the adventure of meeting new people, but meeting the friends of the guy your still trying to impress yourself is slightly more daunting.

But wait, let’s just pause for a quick moment on the little fact I just sneaked in there. Yes, I said Boyfriend. And I’m getting used to it. I can’t look into a crystal ball and say this is going to last. I in any event loathe people that think like that because let’s face it, it might not last. Who knows. I don’t. The point is that I’m giving this a chance, and that my dear friends, is what you call personal growth. Yay me! So far I have found the changes pleasant, and the company understanding. We’re not quite FaceBook official, but as we know, family lurks on Facebook. And that’s so NOT happening yet.

Ok, back to meeting Boyfriend’s friends. It presents a double conundrum for me. You see, firstly, my previous boyfriend was my best friend, and had been for close on three years when we started dating. It negates the integration of friendship circles when you’re already the Head Girl of the particular circle your entering into. Ergo, I’m pretty rusty with the etiquette of meeting ‘the friends’. Well, come to think of it. I’m pretty rusty with the etiquette of being a girlfriend too. It’s supposed to be like riding a bike, but since it’s been longer since I’ve actually rode a bike than had a boyfriend, I’m not really filled with faith about that whole expression. Like I said, thank goodness Boyfriend is the understanding type.

Secondly, I’m well aware of the fact that I’m, well, I’m Marmite. Like the spread. Yes, I see your confusion, but allow me to elaborate. Marmite is one of those substances that you either love or hate. Vehemently. It’s not like salt. Salt is not one of those things people generally have a particular feeling about. It just IS and we all live in harmony with it. Marmite, on the other hand… Well, you get the point.

And since I’m still trying to figure out why Boyfriend actually likes me, it is slightly daunting to voluntarily offer myself up to the alter of judgment that friends pass.

Of course, they only do it with the best intentions at heart and I would not have it any other way, but it makes me nervous. I want him to like me, and that by default means that I want his friends to like me. But like Boy that is Friend pointed out – Not everyone is going to like me. Needless to say, family meetings are another nightmare all together, but since our respective parental units live way outside of the greater Gauteng area, I am not worried about that. It is a far off reality wrapped in the illusion that I never have to actually do it. Until I have to, of course. But back up and breathe there.

And so I went, I met and I conquered. In such a fine fashion that I even received a repeat invite within the same week. Score. It’s a brave new world out there, and if I have to be quite honest with myself, I am actually enjoying the strange familiarity of all these little bits and bops that one only experiences at the very beginning of a new, dare I say it, relationship.